My Homebody Wife Leaves Home for Another

Gabrielle Jensen's face went white. Her grip tightened around the swimsuit in her hand. "What are you talking about, Liam? Did you follow me?"

I looked at my wife, frankly feeling a little distant from her. "Did I have to? I cleared out the storage on your class group chat just yesterday. Caleb Fisher is back in the country, isn't he?"

Her eyes darted away. She tossed the swimsuit onto the couch. "Yeah, he's back. He was at the class reunion, too. So what? Is there a problem? There's nothing going on between us."

I picked up the swimsuit. There was barely any fabric to it. It was nothing like any of the swimsuits I had bought her before.

"If there's nothing going on, why would you want to be dressed in this?"

"Liam Moore!" Gabrielle screamed. "How could you even go there? We're just going to a hot spring to hang out. That's it. What gives you the right to go through my things and read my messages? Ever heard about privacy?"

I tossed the phone over to her. The screen showed the comments section of that short video I posted. They were calling her the pool queen and a perfect match with Caleb. I found those words particularly glaring.

"Privacy? Gabrielle, we've been married for three years, and I didn't even know you used to be a national-level athlete. I thought you were just a homebody, but guess what? You just never wanted to get active in front of me.

"Every accomplishment you have is tied to that man. Now that he's back, you're rushing to see him."

Gabrielle stared at the phone screen, her body trembling. It wasn't guilt, but sheer anger.

"You ruined me! I retired years ago and didn't want anyone knowing about my past! But you just had to post that damn video! You just wanted to make a fool out of me!"

I watched her expression change. "The caption of my video was 'my couch-potato wife.' I never thought there was anything funny about you being a homebody. I actually thought it was endearing. But now, I feel like I'm the joke."

Gabrielle suddenly calmed down. She picked up the swimsuit from the couch and put it back in the shopping bag.

"Think whatever you want. I'm going to the reunion. Caleb just got back, and everyone's getting together to welcome him home. It'd be rude if I didn't go."

She grabbed her bag and walked to the door to change her shoes. "And don't be such a child, Liam. Caleb and I were classmates for years. It just isn't what you think."

With that, she opened the door and shut it without looking back. I stood alone in the quiet living room.